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墨書 Inktalez
Hearing Master Hu's tone, I sensed that Master Chen was not a good person; otherwise, he wouldn't have sighed so helplessly.
I asked Master Hu, "How could Master Chen take Wang as his apprentice? Didn't you say that Wang has no real skills and is just a fraud? How could he have a genuine master?"
"Ah, you don't know. Master Chen is different from us; he values money over talent. He has apprentices everywhere. As long as they pay the apprenticeship fee, he accepts anyone and doesn't teach them properly. He categorizes all the Daoist Techniques and Methods of Feng Shui and charges exorbitant fees for each. Even so, many people still learn from him, and as far as I know, his dubious teachings sell the best," Master Hu replied.
"Isn't he afraid of Karma?"
Master Hu chuckled and said, "What does he have to fear? He charges for his teachings but doesn’t directly harm anyone. He often talks about good and evil, claiming that he cannot be held responsible for the actions of his eclectic apprentices. He deceives himself into thinking that ignorance is an excuse. In reality, he cannot escape the punishment of heaven; he just refuses to face it."
"What do you mean by refusing to face it? He's just relying on luck. Master Hu, do you have any reservations about this Master Chen?" This was my main concern. If Master Hu had reservations, I wanted to know what they were because I had already decided to clarify this matter; avoidance seemed unhelpful. I understood Master Hu well—he was a very upright person. If he wasn't wary of Master Chen, given Master Chen's temperament, he would certainly not want to associate with him.
Master Chen's behavior could be described harshly as disgraceful in our profession.
"What reservations could I have about him? We are fundamentally different; we don’t share the same path. He initially invited me under the guise of industry righteousness, and I reluctantly agreed because this matter concerns you. If he targets someone else, I wouldn’t care, but if he targets Xiao Liu, I must check it out. Although I may not be able to resolve this issue, I will help clarify the facts for you," Master Hu said.
"Thank you, Master Hu. I'll be there on time tomorrow. You don’t need to take my side; I believe the other masters won’t distort the truth."
Master Hu replied, "Well, we’ll see then. For now, I'm going to have breakfast. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Master Hu." After hanging up the phone, Master Xiao asked if I had decided to go and whether I would take him along.
I nodded and said yes; I would take him with me.
Looking at the noodles in front of me, they had already gone cold. I lost my appetite and set my chopsticks down on the table. Master Xiao came over to clear the bowls and asked while doing so, "How much do you plan to charge Sister Li?"
"If it were you, how much would you charge?" I countered.
Master Xiao walked into the kitchen while saying, "This situation is too troublesome—endless complications. Not counting your repair costs, just think about the dangers you've faced and those yet to come. If it were me, I'd charge at least twenty or thirty thousand. Besides, she’s not short on money."
Just after Master Xiao finished speaking, the phone rang again. Looking at the caller ID's last digits, it seemed to be Sister Li.
When I answered the call, it indeed was Sister Li on the line. She started with a series of thank-yous before asking how much she should pay me for revenge. After some polite exchanges, I quoted a price: eight thousand eight hundred eighty-eight. She agreed without hesitation when I told her I'd send her my account number shortly.
After hanging up the phone, Master Xiao said I was crazy; that amount was barely enough to cover half of the repair costs. Moreover, with everything else still uncertain ahead, it was no wonder I was so broke.
I said, "Although she has a company, she currently has no one to help manage it, and the overall situation is not good. Mr. Huang has already left, making it harder for her to keep things running. So don't be fooled by her current wealth; in a few years, she'll return to being an ordinary person. If we can take a little less, let's do that."
"What's wrong? Are you going to her house to read her fortune or something?" Master Xiao came out of the kitchen and plopped down on the sofa.
I nodded but didn’t answer him directly. Some things are better left unsaid. I couldn't just interfere in someone else's fate that seemed already set. Besides, Sister Li's future would likely be quite ordinary, not tragic at all. Perhaps a simple life was what suited her best, allowing her to avoid the predatory gaze of those with ulterior motives, like that hypocritical doctor.
Master Xiao understood my thoughts. He stood up and said, "Come on, let me take a look at your old car and sort out the issues." As he spoke, he walked over to grab the car keys from the shelf by the door.
I thought he wanted to use the car quickly and suggested we drive to the service center together. Since I had nothing much to do during the day, I nodded in agreement.
After Master Xiao drove out of the parking lot, he didn’t head toward the exit of the community but instead looked around curiously. When we reached a large tree, he suddenly slammed on the brakes and said, "Buckle up."
As I reached for my seatbelt, I asked, "Why are you stopping?"
He chuckled without answering. Once I fastened my seatbelt, he suddenly shouted, "Ready?" and then floored the gas pedal straight into that tree.
With a loud crash, the immense inertia was caught by my seatbelt, leaving me terrified. Thankfully, we weren't going too fast; otherwise, the airbags might have deployed.
"What the hell!" I couldn't help but curse loudly. I slapped my forehead; this scare was worse than when I first met Spirit God. I wasn’t driving and had no confidence in assessing danger.
Master Xiao took a deep breath and laughed heartily. "Alright, now you can file an insurance claim. Just say you were distracted by a pretty girl while driving and accidentally crashed into a tree. You have full coverage; the insurance company will pay for everything."
"You idiot! If you want to crash, at least let me get out of the car first! Or at least give me a heads-up!" I tilted my head back and took deep breaths, still shaken.
Master Xiao unbuckled his seatbelt and grinned mischievously. "Haha, that wouldn't be exciting!"
After calling to report the accident, the insurance company sent someone to assess the damage and arranged for a tow truck to take the car to the service center. Just as Master Xiao had said, everything was covered by insurance. This guy really knew how to exploit loopholes just as well as his size suggested.
That evening, Master Xiao didn’t go out again but stayed at my place. As soon as it got dark, I called Liu Bi out; the two of us began discussing how to handle what was coming next. Liu Bi was also one of those involved; Master Chen had come after it.
Once Liu Bi appeared, I apologized for dragging it into this mess. Liu Bi laughed heartily and said, "What’s there to worry about? I brought Mr. Huang's soul here myself; I'm very much involved in this too. If I hadn’t brought his soul in, none of this would have happened. Brother, we’re all in this together; no need for formalities."
Master Xiao added, "Exactly! By your logic, are you saying you won’t take me with you tomorrow?"
Liu Bi asked where we were going tomorrow. I told Master Chen to meet at a hotel in Yuexiu at three o'clock in the afternoon to clarify this matter with Liu Bi.
After hearing this, Liu Bi snorted coldly and said, "So the Old Man is still feeling spirited. I've already given him face and haven't harmed his Five Spirits. Why can't he just let it go?"
What Liu Bi said was indeed true; he also had the ability to harm that Five Spirits. If the Five Spirits were in his hands, Master Chen would be in trouble. At the very least, he would have to give the Five Spirits some explanation, and the cost of that explanation would not be small.
Master Xiao said, "What more is there to say? Isn't it all because of your broken umbrella? Even if you gave me that broken umbrella, I wouldn't want it. I really don't understand why he's so intent on getting that umbrella."
"You don't see its value because you're not Nourishing the Soul. Perhaps he has a soul to nourish as well. If that's the case, then that umbrella is the best treasure for Nourishing the Soul," I replied to Master Xiao.
"Are you saying he wants that broken umbrella just for Nourishing the Soul? What does he need Nourishing the Soul for?" Master Xiao asked, puzzled.
I nodded and said, "I'm not saying for sure; I just think it's very possible. That umbrella is indeed a good item for Nourishing the Soul. Just look at Liu Bi's current strength, and you'll understand. But aside from Nourishing the Soul, that umbrella doesn't have much other use. My Master and your master have both seen that umbrella, right? They didn't think much of it at all. So why does this Master Chen want it so badly? It's highly likely he's involved in Nourishing the Soul, and that umbrella is something he's been dreaming of."
The six o'clock update is here on time; there will be another one later. Things have been a bit overwhelming lately, and I'm exhausted. I really want to drink with you all until we can't anymore.
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